For decades the American narrative has been unraveling. Do your children (grand or otherwise) know who Nathan Hale is?

At first I mourned, but now I - cautiously - celebrate.

Walls are crumbling, physical, ideological. Gender and nation, we are perhaps coming to realize that we share one common heritage known as humanity. There will be violent resistance of course. There always is, when rigid walls are
penetrated and change confronts us.

She was 9 years old.

She will never be 9 1/2.

She will never get a haircut.

Because ISIS cut

Her head

Off.*

"Mr. Gorbachev. Tear down that wall!"

And we did.

"Something there is that doesn't love a wall." (Robert Frost)

I am that something. Are you?

If I were a Muslim I would sell French pastries to raise money for the families of victims in Paris. I would hang a banner on every mosque reading "Islam Means Peace. Islam Denounces Terrorism".

I don't see those banners. Do you?

If I were a Christian chosen to emigrate into the United States, I would reach out my hand to nonchristians to join me.

If I were a Jew I would sing Christmas carols to my neighbors.

If I were a God no child would get cancer.

If I were a Sunni I would break bread with a Shi'i.

If I were a cop I would invite a black family to dinner.

If I were black I would tell cops that their lives matter too.

But I am a poet, with peace in my pen. Will you write with me?

Picasso said "To know what you're going to draw, you have to begin drawing". Will you draw peace with me?

Rilke wrote "God was hard to persuade". Will you persuade with me?

Rudyard Kipling said "Something hidden. Go and find it...Go!" Will you go and find peace with me? Will you share it
when you have found it?

That would really be

Something.

* Don't miss the article this incident is taken from:
it is the first item this month at our ynot page.